Rockets rout Thunder 116-89 behind Bogdanovic's 15 points

Dominant Start Sets Tone

The Houston Rockets established control early and never relinquished it, defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder 116-89 on Thursday at the Toyota Center. The home team opened with a ferocious first quarter, outscoring their visitors 33-15 to build an insurmountable lead before halftime. The Rockets' offense flowed effortlessly, while the Thunder struggled to find any consistent rhythm against Houston's defense.

Houston’s attack was multifaceted from the opening tip. Amen Thompson set the initial tone with a dunk assisted by Fred VanVleet, followed quickly by another slam from Alperen Sengun. The Rockets went on a significant run in the middle of the quarter, fueled by three-pointers from Tari Eason and Reed Sheppard.

By the time the first period ended, Houston had built a 18-point advantage, highlighted by a 25-foot three-pointer from Sheppard assisted by Eason.

Second Half Expansion

The Thunder attempted to stabilize in the second quarter, trailing 46-47 at the break after Jalen Williams hit back-to-back three-pointers for Oklahoma City. However, the Rockets intensified their pressure in the third period, pulling away decisively. Bogdan Bogdanovic spearheaded this surge, hitting a 26-foot three-pointer and following it with two consecutive running jump shots to push the lead past 20 points.

Fred VanVleet added to the offensive barrage with a 24-foot three-pointer in the third quarter, extending Houston's dominance. The Rockets continued to score at will, with VanVleet finishing with a team-high eight assists. Alperen Sengun controlled the glass for Houston, grabbing seven rebounds, while also contributing key layups and two-point shots to maintain the offensive tempo.

Closing Out the Game

The fourth quarter saw the Rockets continue to rack up points against a depleted Thunder lineup. Reed Sheppard drained another three-pointer in the final period, and Bogdan Bogdanovic added more scoring with a 25-foot three and a running pullup jumper from 30 feet out.

The Rockets' bench also contributed significantly, with players like Brooks Barnhizer and Josh Dix adding points in the garbage time at the end.

Jalen Williams led all scorers with 18 points for Oklahoma City, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander provided three assists. For the Thunder, Aday Mara grabbed nine rebounds but could not prevent the loss. The Rockets improve to 2-1 on the season, while the Thunder fall to 1-4.

Sources

ESPN